Crock Pot Chicken Stew
by Sommer Collier — on Feb 9, 2026 My crock pot chicken stew recipe has the flavors and textures I crave in a cozy soup, with thick pieces of potatoes and carrots simmered alongside lean shredded chicken in a light tomato broth. I love how easy this slow cooker chicken stew is to prep, and it always tastes amazing.
It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is or what mood I’m in, I absolutely love chunky soups and stews made in the crock pot! Some recipes I save for chilly nights, like my rich and creamy crockpot chicken potato soup. Today I’m sharing a fabulous recipe for my favorite hearty, yet pretty nutritious, chicken stew that’s perfect for any weather and energy. It’s loaded with all the classic stew elements – onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes – but made with chicken breast for a light, clean finish. It’s a great dish to make when you want to eat healthy but are craving something warm and cozy with lots of flavor. And because this is a slow cooker chicken stew recipe, it’s a wonderful set-and-forget meal you can get going in the morning before you leave for work.
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Light but Hearty – Like my homemade crockpot chicken noodle soup, this recipe is nourishing and delicious. Yet this recipe is in the same family as a classic stick-to-your-ribs beef stew. I keep the tender veggies and generous pieces of protein-rich meat, but lighten things up by using lean shredded chicken and chicken broth. So you get all of the delicious comfort food snuggly-ness you crave, minus a bunch of fat and calories.
(Mostly) Dump and Go – For the best flavor, I practically insist you do a quick saute of the bacon and a few veggies before adding to the slow cooker. I’ll walk you through the process, and I promise, it doesn’t take long and is so worth it! That’s the only precooking to be done; you don’t need to brown the chicken or anything first.
Fantastic Leftovers – You get approximately 8 generous servings from the recipe. That’s great for larger gatherings, but is also terrific for a weekly meal plan! The crock pot chicken stew stores beautifully for several days in the refrigerator and is easy to reheat for a quick lunch or hassle-free second dinner.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Bacon – I chop up pieces of thick-cut bacon, which is best for sautéing.
- Vegetables – Onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and baby red potatoes. You can use russet or yellow potatoes if that’s your preference; however, I don’t find these hold up to slow cooking quite as well.
- Chicken – I like to use lean, boneless, and skinless chicken breasts in my recipe.
- Diced tomatoes – Use either classic plain tomatoes, or fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a bit of Mediterranean flavor.
- Chicken base – Or chicken bullion, plus water.
- Spices – I use bay leaf, paprika, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
How to Make
Prep and Saute – I start by chopping up bacon, peeling and chopping the onion and carrots, cubing the potatoes, and peel and mince garlic.
Then I get a large skillet heating over medium heat. Add the bacon and sauté for a few minutes, then add the onion and celery. I use a spatula to saute everything for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
I pour this mixture into the bottom of the crock pot, moving things around so it’s spread evenly.
Add the Chicken – Next, the raw pieces of chicken breasts go into the crock. Yup, that’s right, I place them right on top of the bacon, onion, and celery combo. Then I sprinkle on the spices and add the dried bay leaves.
Dump, Set and Go – Now I add all of the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker…Potatoes, carrots, canned diced tomatoes, water, and chicken base (or bullion).
Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours. I know it might be tempting, but don’t lift the crock pot lid while the chicken stew cooks!
Shred the Chicken – I check the chicken and potatoes for doneness on the low end of the cooking time. When both are fork-tender, I use tongs to carefully take the chicken pieces from the slow cooker, and place them on a cutting board. I pull the chicken with two forks in opposite directions, so it turns into thick shreds.
Now I dump the meat back into the crock pot, then give it a stir and a taste. I’ll sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper if needed, but usually I find the flavor to be spot-on!
Recipe Variations
- The bacon provides a rich, unctuous flavor to the stew base; however, if you don’t eat bacon, you can swap out the bacon for a couple of tablespoons of good butter.
- I love the lightness of this soup, and like to make it with lean but tender chicken breasts. But if you aren’t counting those calories too closely and you don’t mind a bit of delectable fattiness, feel free to make the slow cooker chicken stew with thighs.
- This recipe is also great for using a rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken! Simply chop it up and add to the crock pot after you’ve tested the potatoes for doneness.
- Want to mix things up? Consider adding extra elements, like frozen corn, peas, okra, green beans, or other frozen veggies you like! Quickly stir them into the stew when there is about 1 hour of cook time remaining. You can also change up the seasonings by using more or less of each to taste.
- Want some heat? Give it a nice kick of spicy flavor by adding several dashes of hot sauce! I usually stir some in when I add the shredded chicken back into the crockpot.
Expert Tips
The most important thing here is to first sauté the bacon with the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic before adding them to the crockpot. Although it’s tempting to just dump everything in and turn on the slow cooker, this initial stovetop step creates such depth of flavor and also gives the onions a much better, incredibly silky texture. Otherwise, onions can turn rubbery when you just throw them raw into a crockpot.
My second tried-and-true advice is to avoid temptation, and don’t lift the lid on the slow cooker chicken stew while it’s working its magic unless absolutely necessary. You should only need to open the lid to check, remove, and replace the shredded chicken (unless you’re adding frozen veggies an hour beforehand).
Serving Suggestions
There really is no need to serve anything alongside the stew. Especially when I make this for a healthier, and uncomplicated dish, I love to rely on it being a full meal-in-a-bowl dinner… It’s got protein, loads of veggies, and lots of flavor!
If I do want to fill the table and my tummy a bit more, without going overboard, I’ll also put together a quick green salad. Nothing special, just some chopped lettuce and whatever vegetables I have on hand, dressed up with a simple balsamic vinaigrette.
But if I’m in full cozy comfort food mode, sometimes I’ll say to heck with it and have a big ‘ol hunk of bread on the side. Or maybe only a few crackers. We’ll see how the day has gone.
Storage Notes
This is a wonderful meal for prepping, and the leftovers are delicious! Let the stew cool at room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
It’s also a great recipe for making ahead and freezing leftovers. First, I transfer the cool stew to an airtight container, then wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil for extra frost protection. It keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months, and it’s best to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use previously frozen and thawed chicken, but no, I don’t recommend using frozen chicken breasts. They take waaay too long to cook and won’t be as juicy and tender.
I almost always use the LOW setting on my slow cooker when I can. Then the flavors of whatever’s in there have more time to develop.
Nope, there is no need to precook the chicken at all. The chicken breasts (or thighs) go right into the crock pot raw.
Crock Pot Chicken Stew
Video
Ingredients
- 2 strips thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 ½ cups diced onion
- 1 ½ cups diced celery
- 1 ½ cups diced carrots
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chopped baby red potatoes 1-inch cubes about 1½ lbs
- 1 – 1 ½ pounds chicken breast
- 3 cups water
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 5 teaspoons chicken base or bouillon
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Chop all the produce. Set a large skillet on the stove top over medium heat.
- Add in the bacon. Stir and brown the bacon to release the bacon fat. Once the bacon is reddish-brown, stir in the diced onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are soft and silky.
- Move the sautéed vegetables to a large 6 quart slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Then add in the chopped red potatoes, carrots, water, diced tomatoes, chicken base, and all herbs and spices. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Cover and set on high for 4 to 5 hours, or on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- The stew is ready when the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are fork-tender. Remove the chicken breast with tongs. Use two forks to shred the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Then stir the shredded chicken back into the stew. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
